Vintage Kiddo: Beyond Blythe! The Quirky Dolls of the 60s/70s!

YAY!!!!!! It’s so good to be back!! We really did miss ya’ll like crazy. How awesome was Dottie’s Retro Roundup?? My wallet is thankful that Wolfie is growin’ like a weed and can’t wear any of that cuteness! (Never mind that he would probably strongly object to the darling color-block mini dress..) So in honor of our triumphant return (take THAT H@CKERS!) I thought it would be fun to do a Vintage toy post….and I knew *just* the thing I wanted to share with you.

Most of you guys know I love my Blythe dollies. To me they are the quintessential doll to represent the 70s: stylish, cool, colorful and just a leetle bit weird. BUT I’ve already written a ton about them (you can read my fun article on Blythe in MAEVE magazine over here), so I wanted to show you some of Blythe’s kooky, and lesser known, friends!

image: ~Jo~

Back in the 1960s and 1970s, toy manufacturers were CLEARLY smoking the wacky tobacky as they sat around and drummed up new toy ideas. Most really make no sense, yet I still find them all beautifully bizarre. Let’s take a look at a handful of my faves!

FLATSY

In 1969, Ideal introduced Flatsy. And yup, like the name says she is a mega flat doll. Flatsieswere made of rubber and had wire inserts that made them flexible, much like Gumby. The Teenage Fashion Flatsy was far creepier looking to me. They had the most awesome catch phrase: “She’s Flat and That’s That”. Kind of says it all.

image: Natsuko

LEGGY

In 1971, Hasbro brought us The Leggies! These odd dolls were identified by their excessively long and gangly legs. In this day and age, they send a pretty bad message about body image….but I can’t lie I find them pretty cute. You know, in a Daddy Long Legs kinda way.

Meet Leggy Nan, Leggy Sue, Leggy Jill and Leggy Kate.

Images: mame3

EMERALD THE ENCHANTING WITCH.

With lavender skin and luscious green locks, Emerald was a quirky, sprightly imp. The thing that made her so cool was that she had a little switch in the back that made her eyes glow. She was made in 1972 by Milton Bradley. She’s kind of like a combination of My Little Pony and those crazy Troll dolls. But def cuter.


image: Fluxie


image: funny bunny

DAWN

Glamorous, glittery and faaaabulous! It’s the Wonderful World of DAWN. Created by Topper Toys in 1970, she was a diminutive answer to Barbie. Dawn had long blonde hair and a bevy of pals—Angie, Dale, Gloria, Jessica, Longlocks and GARY. Oh Gary. I always loved her little ensembles.

SUSIE SAD EYES

In 1972, riding coattails of  Margaret Keane’s popular wide-eyed moppets came Susie Sad Eyes. I think the name sort of says it all. So small. So sad. *sniff* Makes me want to hear Peggy Lee’s, “Is That All There Is?”

images: Susie Sad Eyes Flickr Group

LITTLE MISS NO NAME
OK. Susie Sad Eyes has *nothing* on this little waif. She’s pretty amazing but also makes me a little sad. The colossal eyes and little crystalline tear drop are one thing…but the burlap sack and bare feet take her over the edge. I’m DYING to know what marketing genius thought this would be a “fun” doll for little girls.

Are you dying yet?? I mean, it isn’t enough that the poor thing is wearing a burlap sack, they gotta put her in a snowstorm box??? Oh Hasbro….

LIDDLE KIDDLES

Weeeeee! These tiny treasures stand an awesome 2 3/4″ to 4″ tall. There was even a super teensy version that was about an inch tall. Despite their diminutive stature, they still had rooted hair and moveable arms and legs. They were produced by Mattel from 1966-1971. My favorites are the Lucky Locket Kiddles (which were necklaces). They were also Kiddle Kologne and Kola Kiddles (who lived in a perfume and soda bottle respectively) and the green Kosmic Kiddles—flying around in their hip UFOs. But really, the Kiddle Lockets were where it was at.


image: super junk

PETEENA THE FASHION POODLE

I’ve saved the best for last. This kookoo doll is one of my all-time favorites. Created in 1966, the lovely Peteena came with her own polka dot bikini. Um. Yes. A poodle-kini. While she has a the head of a pup, her body is human….she is totally weird but with her long lashes and sweet smile, I find her oddly lovely. Call me crazy.


image: Peteenainct


image: xie kitchen

image: axelsrose

That’s it for today’s toy round up. What do you think? Do these delight you or make you scratch your head?? One thing’s for certain, these dollies are every bit as colorful and creative as the 60s and 70s themselves.

38 thoughts on “Vintage Kiddo: Beyond Blythe! The Quirky Dolls of the 60s/70s!

  1. Hee hee! Talk about Valley of the Dolls!

    Wow. I’m amazed some of these dolls got past R&D! Like that awkward little miss no name.

    And the poodle doll? Don’t even get me started. Although I love that wardrobe!

    1. HAH. I was going to say, “She may be creepy but she’s one foxy bitch.” And then I thought i didn’t want to freak out my reader’s delicate sensibilities. Clearly ya’ll all bad asses.

      1. What? I’m just being accurate. Wait, rewind: The joke line should be “She is a totally fake bitch.” Get it? Because she’s plastic! Oh, I slay me.

        Is this enough evidence that comments work, or shall I keep going?

          1. chiming in because COMMENTS! COMMENTS! i am thrilled.
            also, i happen to L O V E love that poodle in a bikini! that is my absolute fave of the bunch!!!!!!!!!

            this post was so brilliant, you saved up some good stuff with that week off, lady a!!!!!!! sheeee-ooot!

  2. do i date myself by admitting that i had both Peteena and the Liddle Kiddles? Eep! Loved Pateena. Loved her. Mad love. Also loved the Liddle Kiddle ring because I felt “oh so fashionable”.

    i’m so glad you’re back!

    1. EEK! Gina Garan!!! What are you doing over here??? I’m so honored!!!!!! (there are several super old school TIB Community members over here! Myself included…I was galexiegirl. I’m so geeking out right now YAY GINA!!! WOOT!!!!)

  3. My grandmother bought me the Doll with No name….she always called her the Little Match girl….I also had all the Dawn dolls–i traded one of them for Barbie’s freind PJ…..thanks for the memories…

  4. Oh, No. I had (and still have) all those dolls except the leggy ones.
    I love Peteena and Little Miss No Name. I’ve renamed her Natasha, the little
    Russian orphan left at the airport.

  5. Hi I just came across your blog & thought I’d share this with you. Since you love Blythe too!
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Queen-Hearts-OOAK-Custom-Blythe-Art-Doll-Sweet-Temptations-/190610085751?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4676820960844957405
    Too rich for my blood but she is cute! Thanks for sharing all of your pictures & stories. Right now I’m looking at Liddle Kiddles ~ blasts from my past.

  6. OMG…I used to have a poodle doll…my mom wouldn’t let us play with Barbies…so she got my sister and me a couple of these half human/half dog poodle dolls…. so wild to see them again…great shots!

  7. Love your photos of the PETEENA Poodle Doll. They are very beautifully done. Back in the 60s I coveted that doll when I first saw it for sale in the grocery store with my mother. Alas I wasn’t allowed to purchase one– but have enjoyed seeing your pictures of her and refreshing my memory of what she looked like. I particularly love the one of her in the grocery store!

  8. Blythe used to creep me out. Shudder. It seemed as though her face were burnt and stretched tight. The tortured doll, I used to call her. And those HUGE eyes.

    My sister had Little Miss No Name. That doll reminded me of the starved children under the Ghost of Christmas Present’s cloak – from a cartoon version of “A Christmas Carol.”

    Thanks for sharing these dolls from my childhood.

    BTW – do you remember Mattel’s Beautiful Creatures? More eeewww!

  9. Does anyone remember a doll that had long blonde hair and the commercial was of the doll on a roof. She seemed to be an orphan but the doll is not Little Miss No Name.
    And I believe the commercial was in the 60’s. The doll was a very attractive blonde girl doll.
    I can’t remember her name, nor can I find her on any web site to date. HELP!

  10. Does anyone remember swingy? She had batteries and would walk across the floor. She had styrofoam pads on bottom of feet that when got dirty she wouldn’t walk. She had blonde hair.

  11. hehehe loved all of it, and i am old enough to have been around back then, (sadly still playing with dirt). i love the poodle, oh yes, combining my passions, dolls and my doggies.

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